Electric switch



Feb. 11,- 1936. w|LL|AM$ 2,030,671

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed July 11, 1954 Invent T 2 Ernest Wiiliawms 5. 8mmby H fi Attor-neg.

l atented Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELECTRIC SWITCH Ernest Williams, Pittsfield, Mass., asslgnor to GeneralElectric Company, a corporation of New York Application July 11, 1934,Serial No. 734,577

3 Claims. (01. 200-169) of the switch when the circuit controlledthereby is alive. In certain cases it has been found de sirable to soarrange the switchi contacts that 1 a movement of the switch operatingmember in one direction will cause the switch successively to pass fromthe open position to the closed position and then on to the groundingposition. In

other words the closed position of the switch is 15 intermediate to theopen and grounding positions.

Assuch switches have been constructed heretofore, it was possible forthe operator to move the switch from the open position through theinter- 20 mediate or closed position to the grounding position sorapidly that the electric. interlock does not, have sufficient time tooperate should it happen that the feeder is alive at the time the switchis operated. It is well known to those skilled in'the 25 art that suchan interruption of a live high voltage power circuit by thedisconnecting switch is extremely hazardous since it may result inpersonal injury to the operator and in the destruotion of the switch ifnot in damaging other 30 apparatus in the system. c It is the object ofmy invention to" provide an improved operating mechanism for a switch ofthis character whose construction will prevent an operation of theswitch in the dangerous manner 35 mentioned above. A further object ofmy invention isthe provision of such a switch operating mechanism whichis simple in construction, reliable in operation and inexpensive tomanufacture.

4 My invention will be better understood from the following descriptiontaken in connection with-the accompanying drawing, and its scope will bepointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective 4 view of anembodiment of my invention, Figs. 2 and 3 are front views thereof withparts broken away, and Fig. 4 is a circuit diagram.

The mechanism comprising my invention is adapted for the operation ofvarious well known 50 forms of disconnecting and grounding switches suchfor example as that shown in Figs. 9 and 10 of U. S. Letters Patent1,803,163 to H. N. Beebe, April 28, 1931. The switch is represented inFig. 4 ,as a three phase switch having three switch 55 arms I mounted onthe same shaft represented by the dot and dash line 2 on which ismounted also the operating handle 3. The switch arms I connect with theconductors 4 of a feeder circuit and in the closedcircuit positionillustrated connect the feeder with the primary of the transformer 5. 5The secondary of this transformer may connect with the network throughthe usual circuit breaker 6. The disconnecting and grounding switchillustrated difl'ers from that shown in the above-mentioned patent inthat the closed circuit 10 position is intermediate the open circuitposition.

represented by dotted lines, and the grounding position. The switch isrepresented as provided with an electrical interlock such as that shownin the above-mentioned patent and including the solenoid l. which isconnected across one phase winding of the transformer secondary, thearrangement being such that as long as the transformer is energized theswitch is locked against movement.

The switch operating mechanism which comprises my invention includes thebase lli in which is mounted the switch. operating shaft 2. In order tomake an oil-tight joint between the shaft and the base, the boss I: onthe base is provided with the packing H which is retained by the glandl3, the latter being bolted to the boss. Longitudinal movement of theshaft is prevented by the set screw H which engages in an annular groovein the shaft. The handle l5 which is fixed to the shaft 2 has theprojection l6 on its front face which projection terminates in twosimilar hooks I] and I8 whose purpose will be described later. ejectingfrom the rear of the handle I5 is the 'boss 20 through whichextends theretaining plunger 2| which, by engaging in one or the other of the threeholes 22, 23 and 24 in the base, retains the shaft 2 and therefore theswitch arms I in one or the other of the three diiferent positions. Theplunger 2| is shown having a portion 25 01' reduced diameter siuroundedby the compression spring 26 by which the plunger is normally urgedagainst the base Ill. The ear 2'! is fixed to the plunger; 2| adjacentto the outer face of the handle and beyond this ear the knurled knob 2!is fixed to the plunger whereby the plunger is withdrawn from the holesin the base and rotated as' will be described later. Fixed also to theplunger II is the collar 30 which has two oppositely extendingprojections 3| and 32,

one of which, namely 32, being provided with the retaining pin 33represented by dotted lines. This pin in the position shown engages inthe hole 34 in the base. a

When it is desired to move the switch from the open position shown byFig. 1 to the closed or intermediate position shown by Fig. 2 theoperator grasps the knob 28 and withdraws the plunger from the hole 22and the pin 33 from the hole 34. In this movement the ear 21 slides intothe hook it and the projection 3| of the collar 30 is in position toslide upon the track 36 projecting from the base. The handle l5 may nowbe moved in a clockwise direction, the projection 3| sliding on thetrack 36, until it reaches the intermediate or closed positionwhen theprojections 3i and 32 of collar 30 engage the stops 3'! and 38respectively which project from the base I 0, further movement of theswitch handle thereby being arrested. Since the projection 3| of collar30 has by this time run off the end of track 36 the plunger 2! is freeto engage in the hole 23, thus retaining the handle in the intermediateor closed circuit position. As the plunger 2! engages in the hole 23 theretainin pin so engages in the lower end of the arcuate slot Ml.

In order to move the handle on to the ground ing position the operatormust grasp the knob 28 and rotate it in a clockwise direction forapproximately 180". In this movement the ear 21 swings to the positionadjacent the hool: i'i

and the retaining pin 33 travels in the slot ill to a position near theopposite end thereof. In this rotative movement the projections 3i and32 of the collar 3t rotate beneath the stops $11 and M. The plunger 20is now withdrawn from hole 23, the retaining pin 33 also beingsimultaneously withdrawn from the slot M9, and as the handle is moved tothe grounding position the projection iii of collar 3i! rides on thesecond track ll! projecting from the base, thus holding the plunger inan elevated msitlon until the projection 39 rides off the end of thetrack when the plunger engages in the hole and the retaining pin 33engages in the hole The base is provided with a stop til which byengaging the boss Ell limits the above-described clockwise movement ofthe handle H5. The base also is provided with a similar stop-M at theother side thereof to limit the counterclockwise movement of the handle.By the engagement of the plunger M in the hole 2% the switch is retainedin the grounding position.

From the above it will be seen that the oper ator is unable to move theswitch rapidly from the open circuit position through the closed circuitposition to the grounding position. At least such a movement of theswitch cannot be made with such rapidity that the electrical. interlockincluding the solenoid "ldoes-not have sufificient time to operateshould the feeder circuit by any chance be energized at the time thedisconnecting switch is operated.

It will be understood that in the reverse movement of the switch handleit the operator must again withdraw the plunger 2 i from the hole El i,move the handle B5 to the intermediate or closed position when theplunger engages the hole and retaining pin engages in slot He thenrotates the collar ill to approximately 180, again withdraws the plungeriron]. hole and continues the counterclockwise of the handle 85 to theopen circuit position illustrated where the plunger 2| reengages thehole 22. The hooks I8 and i1 serve to prevent any rotative movement ofthe collar 30 and plunger 2| after the plunger has been withdrawn fromeither hole 22 or 24 as the case may be and while the projection 3| .issliding on either track 36 or track 4|. It it is desired to lock theswitch handle in any one of its three positions the projection I6 on thehandle is provided with the two holes 46 and the car 21 is'provided withthe hole 41 whereby a padlock or other suitable looking device may bepassed through the aligning holes.

I have chosen the,particular embodiment described above as illustrativeof my invention and it will be apparent that various other modificationsmay be made without departing from the spiritand scope of my inventionwhich modifications I aim to cover by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is:

1. Switch operating mechanism comprising a fixed member, a levermemberpivoted thereto and having a series of successive positions andmeans for temporarily retaining the lever mem- 7 her in an intermediateposition comprising a locking member mounted onone of said members andmovable rotatively and longitudinally relative thereto, said othermember having a plurality of portions arranged to interlock withdifferent portions of said locking member when the lever member is insaid intermediate position, the release of said interlock requiring a.rotative movement of said locking member followed by a longitudinalmovement thereof.

2. Switch operating mechanism comprising a switch operating handlearranged to be moved in the same direction from an open circuit positionthrough a closed circuit position to a ground ing position, and meansfor retaining the handle temporarily in said closed circuit position,said means including a member carried by said handle and constructed tobe manually moved longitudinally and rotatively relative to the handle,and a her when the handle reaches said closed circuit,

position, said member and stop having cooperating means requiringsuccessive rotative and longitudinal movements of the member to allow itto pass said stop.

3. Switch operating mechanism comprising a switch operating handlearranged to be moved in the same direction from an open circuit positionthrough a closed circuit position to a grounding position, and means forretaining the handle temporarily in said closed: circuit position, saidmeans including a member carried by said handle and constructed to bemanually moved longitudinally and rotatively relative to the handle, anda fixed stop arranged to be engaged by said member when the handlereaches said .closed circuit position, said member and stophavingcooperating portions requiring successive movements of the memberlongitudinally, rotatively and again longitudinally to allow thememberto pass said step,

